Day: |
110 |
Date: |
Wednesday, 20 August 1986. |
Start: |
|
Finish: |
|
Daily
AT Miles: |
24.4 |
Daily Other Miles |
0 |
Total
AT Miles: |
2116.2 |
Total All Miles |
2174.2 |
Weather: |
Warm, mostly sunny. |
Accommodation: |
|
Nutrition: |
Breakfast: Muesli, health drink. Lunch:
Biscuits and peanut butter, candy bars. Dinner: Noodles, instant
pudding. |
Aches: |
None bad. |
Animals Seen: |
Pheasant, 3 snakes, 2 moose. |
People Seen: |
10 overnight hikers. |
Pictures: |
Here |
GPS Track: |
|
Journal: |
Got up at 5am after a good night’s sleep
and set out at 6:30am for Potaywadjo Spring Hut, six miles
away. The skies were relatively clear so we were hopeful of a
better day. The Trail continued through mossy forest with an
incredible variety of mushrooms and toadstools – all shapes, sizes
and colours – as had been the case the last few days. The Trail was
rough, boggy in parts, and covered in roots. At Potaywadjo Spring
Lean-To there was a magnificent spring with bubbling sand as the
water (cold and clear) bubbled up. We then decided to go
for Wadleigh Stream Lean-To for lunch in two sections. The Trail
conditions remained the same and it passed by some more beautiful
lakes. At one point, the Trail actually went along the narrow rocky
shore of the lake. I slipped into the water twice. We had lunch at
about 1:40pm at the pleasant Lean-To. Jerry was having a lot of
trouble with one of his boots that was falling apart, and was tying
it together with string and tape but it kept coming apart under the
strain of the rough Trail. We only had eight miles to our target
shelter, Rainbow Stream Lean-To, but were both tired and weren’t
looking forward to the miles which included
Mount Nesuntabunt (~2000’), the last mountain before
Katahdin. Jerry seemed to have decided he was going to accompany me
to the end. I would have preferred to hike alone but don’t want to
be rude and he’s a likeable bloke – we get on OK. We set out up the
mountain and stopped at the top for a great view of the forests,
lakes and Mount Katahdin (the northern end of the AT) for the first
time. The summit was covered in cloud. We descended from the
mountain to Crescent Pond and, as we were walking along the edge,
Jerry spotted a moose feeding in the shallows about 30 yards
offshore. We both got pictures before it was scared off. We then
saw it had a calf with it. The last four miles dragged, but we
eventually reached the pretty shelter by the stream in a little
valley. We had it to ourselves. I had a double portion of noodles
(because I hadn’t cooked the two previous nights) and, after dinner,
enjoyed two cups of hot chocolate whilst musing over the trip and
its looming end. I felt a bit melancholy. Went to bed at about
9pm. |
|
ADVENTURE LIST
Round Ireland
(2016)
Hume & Hovell Walking Track
(2013)
Via Alpina
(2012)
Australian Alps Walking
Track (2011)
Land's End to John O'Groats
(2010)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2009)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2008)
Round Oz Bike Record Attempt
(2007)
Australia Tip to Top MTB
(2006)
Adelaide to Darwin MTB
(2005)
Sydney to Melbourne MTB
(2004)
Three Peaks Race
(2004)
Appalachian Trail
(1986)
Alpine Track
(1983)
|